On The De-Rating of 4H-Silicon Carbide (SiC) Power Schottky Barrier Diodes

Abstract

Silicon Carbide (SiC) is the most promising material among all wide bandgap semiconductors for high-voltage and high-temperature power electronics. A careful analysis of the current state-of-the-art commercial SiC power Schottky Barrier Diodes (SBDs) indicates that these devices are operated well below their true potential. It is shown that the breakdown voltage ratings of commercial SiC power SBDs are lower than a factor of 2 or more compared to their true avalanche breakdown capability. A simple analysis is presented to determine the de-rating factor of SiC power SBDs using the information provided in the manufacturer data sheets. The device de-ratings appear to be primarily due to a high-density of crystal defects in the drift-region of the device.